County leaders, providers warn federal budget cuts could disrupt seniors, child care, food and housing programs

Rachel Dillman Parsons, Lake County social services director, told the Board of Supervisors Tuesday that recent federal proposals and agency layoffs could leave local seniors, children and families without critical services.

"These federal cuts, layoffs, tariffs, and this proposed budget, we'll be putting our most vulnerable — our seniors, veterans, disabled individuals, children and families — at risk," Dillman Parsons said as she summarized federal actions affecting Medi‑Cal, SNAP/CalFresh, Head Start, and other programs.

The county's social services director said the federal fiscal picture remains fluid but that several concrete changes are already in place and creating local complications. She pointed to an operating change at the Social Security Administration that requires identity proofing for direct‑deposit changes and the agency’s renewed ability to recoup larger shares of overpayments from beneficiaries. She also said a portion of U.S. Department of Health and Human Services staff were let go and that the Administration for Community Living (ACL) was temporarily eliminated at the federal level, a move…